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JAPANESE 
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 



JAPANESE 
FLOWER AREANGEMENT 

[IKE-BANA] 

APPLIED TO WESTERN NEEDS 

BY 

MARY AVERILL 

(KWASHINSAI KIYOKUMEI) 
WITH 88 ILLUSTRATIONS 




NEW YORK 

DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 

MCMXXII 



■59 



COPYRIGHT, 19I3 
BY JOHN LANE COMPANY 



First Edition, October, IQ13 
Second Edition, January, 1914 

Third Edition, July, igi4 
Foiirlh Edition. March, 1922 



^6 



THE PLIMPTON PR ESS -NOR WOOD • M A SS ACHUS ETTS 
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



\ 



TO 

MY PUPILS, MY INSPIRERS 
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK 



Ame tsucbi mo kami mo Hana naraba. 
Hito no kokoro mo Hana no yono naka. 
Heaven and earth are flowers. 
Gods as well as Buddha are flowers. 
The heart of man is also the soul of flowers. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction 13 

I History 19 

II Theory 35 

III Principles and Rules of Flower Arrange- 

ment 41 

IV Arrangements of Three Flowers in High 

Vase 50 

V The Two Principal Forms or Styles of 

Flower Arrangement 77 

VI To Make Arrangements of Five Flowers . 80 
VII How TO Arrange Five Chrysanthemums 82 
VIII Rules for Bending Flowers and Branches 84 
IX Water-Growing Bulbs and all Arrange- 
ments Made in Low Broad Receptacles 89 

X Arrangement of Branches 113 

XI Making one Branch Joined at the Base 

Serve for whole Arrangement .... 122 
XII How TO Suggest the Season of the Year 

IN Flower Arrangement 124 

XIII Flowers in Hanging Receptacles 132 

XIV Ashirai 159 

XV Flowers Arranged according to Shapes of 

Vases 171 

XVI Flowers Blooming in and out of Season 173 

[9] 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

XVII How TO Arrange Flowers in a Vase of 

MANY Sections 179 

XVIII When Flowers alone may be used and 

WHEN Leaves only 191 

XIX Sex in Flowers and Trees 195 

XX Japanese Flower Vases 200 

XXI Preservatives for Flowers and Trees . . 207 
XXII The Schools of Japanese Flower Arrange- 
ment 214 



[70] 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Frontispiece Color 

PAGE 

Showing how the Arrangement of Ornaments is influenced 

by the Rules of Flower Arrangement 23 

Showing how Flowers are placed in Holder No. i . . . 43 

Showing how Flowers are placed in Holder No. 2 . . . 43 

Flowers placed in Holder No. 4 45 

Showing Flowers placed in Holder No. 5 45 

Principal Lines used in Flower Arrangement .... 51 

Principal Lines used in Flower Arrangement .... 52 

Three Sprays of Magnolia 65 

Three Sprays of Camelia with only One Blossom ... 67 

Three Chrysanthemums 69 

Any Three Sprays of Flowers growing in Clusters may be 

arranged as these 71 

Simple Arrangement of Iris 93 

Arrangement of Yellow Lilies and Reed Grasses ... 95 

Arrangement of Three Iris 97 

Water Arrangement showing Iris and Grasses .... 99 

Different Ways of grouping Iris Leaves lOi 

Simple Arrangement of Leaves . 103 

Water Arrangement 105 

Arrangement of Common Yellow Lily 107 

Pine Branch 115 

Plum Branch 117 

Pine and Plum 1 19 

A March Arrangement showing Influence of High Wind 125 
An Arrangement suitable for February or March when 

Winds are High 127 

["1 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Flowers in Hanging Receptacles 133 

Arrangement of Morning Glories in Hanging Vase . . 135 
This shows a Hanging Arrangement in which the Heaven 

is Upright 137 

Hanging Moon and Hooked Vase 139 

Hooked Vase 141 

Out-going Boat and Standard Arrangement . . . . 143 

Incoming or Boat of Good Fortune 145 

Sitting Boat going 147 

Hanging Moon 149 

Morning Glories in Hanging Boat 151 

Sitting Boat at Anchor 153 

Boat Bow on with Iris 155 

Showing how a Branch with Ashirai may be arranged 

without a support 161 

Ashirai Arrangement of Pine Bamboo and Chrysan- 
themum 163 

StiJI Another Arrangement of Ashirai 165 

Ashirai Arranged in Three- Pronged Kubari . . . . 169 

Arrangement of Plum Blossoms 175 

Three-sectioned Vase with Wistaria and Iris . . . . 177 

Three Aspidistra Leaves 181 

Five Aspidistra Leaves 183 

Seven Aspidistra Leaves 185 

Nine Aspidistra Leaves 187 

Showing how Leaves must be tied in groups over Night 
Seven Aspidistra Leaves showing how desirable a Torn 

Leaf is considered 189 

Flower Basket of Split Bamboo 201 



[12] 



INTRODUCTION 

AFTER long travel through India, 
Ceylon, and China I was more 
deeply impressed than ever that 
flowers are a greater factor in the life of 
the Japanese than in that of any other 
nation. 

When I returned to Japan, my study of 
the art of flower arrangement for years 
convinced me that the Japanese held in 
this art knowledge of value to Western 
peoples. Foflowing this art from youth 
has given the Japanese an idea of propor- 
tion, taught them the power of concentra- 
tion, and one might almost say imbued them 
with many of their finest traits of character. 
Aside from the gain of beauty in the results 
of these floral arrangements and the ad- 
vantage of prolonging the fife of flowers so 
arranged, I am sure that aH who may be led 



INTRODUCTION 

into trying this system for themselves will be 
amply repaid for any amount of time they 
may devote to its practise. 

I am confident that a recognition of the 
beauty of a few flowers naturally arranged 
will bring flowers more into general use by 
those who have hitherto felt that quantity 
was necessary to produce any pleasing eff"ect. 
If we would but profit by what the Japanese 
have to teach us, no one who loves and longs 
for flowers need be without one or two to 
give suggestion of nature's wealth of beauty. 
Even one spray of green can suggest the 
freshness of growing things which is so often 
shut out from our city lives ; while our masses 
of roses and violets suggest only the hot- 
house and are out of the reach of many who 
could have a few flowers. 

Mr. Josiah Conder, in his comprehensive 
and wonderfufly instructive work on the 
subject, "The Flowers of Japan and the 
Art of Japanese Floral Arrangement," has 
given us great enlightenment. No other for- 
eigner has had such opportunities, none has 

['4] 



INTRODUCTION 

shown such keen appreciation of the flower 
art's symbolism and beauty. All lovers of 
the art owe Mr. Conder endless gratitude 
for the information he has given us. But 
while Enshiu-Ryu, the school Mr. Conder has 
selected to describe, is the most striking of 
them all and has impressed its influence on 
all later schools, it is too unnatural in its 
lines to appeal to Western taste. 

The lover of flowers in their natural 
state is startled rather than pleased by 
Enshiu-Ryu. In following the history of 
Ike-bana you will see that Enshiu-Ryu was 
created in a period when all art ran to 
decoration, so that it is more for design 
than for actual arrangements of flowers 
that Enshiu-Ryu is valuable. Its principles 
are so strong and clear that they have 
been followed by most of the other schools, 
but they became exaggerated to such an 
extent that the natural growth of the plant 
was lost sight of in extreme and unnatural 
curves. Mr. Conder as a scholar took up 
this school, as he himself states, for the 

[i5\ 



INTRODUCTION 

reason that its principles adapt themselves 
the most readily to purposes of explanation. 
But as a practical follower of the art, my 
experience in many years' teaching has been 
that the simpler schools are more adapted 
to Western needs. 

Like most foreigners, I commenced my 
study of Ike-bana with Enshiu-Ryu, but soon 
wearied of its artificialities, and through the 
kindness of a Japanese friend was led into 
Koshin-Ryu, a more simple and natural 
school. The pleasure and benefit I have 
derived from a long study of this style can- 
not be estimated. Not only in the grace 
and beauty of the lines achieved and in 
the strengthening of sense of proportion, 
but also in the quickening of observation 
of the natural growth of all plants and 
trees, and in the simplifying and improving 
of taste in all directions, I have gained so 
much that it makes me long to pass on to 
others what I have found so helpful. 

After following for years the school of 
Koshin-Ryu I found great benefit in learning 

['61 



INTRODUCTION 

something of the others. All these schools, 
with but one exception, Kyo-fu, differ only 
in the non-essentials, the principles are the 
same throughout. Each school, however, 
has different names for the principles and 
places the flowers in the vases in a different 
order. The kubari or support, which holds 
the flowers in place in the vase, is also made 
and placed differently by each school, and 
there are other shght differences, but the 
main principles are the same in all. 

Ike-bana, the Japanese word for flower 
arrangements, means living flowers and ex- 
plains by its derivation the fundamental 
principles of the grouping. Without some 
knowledge of its history it does not seem 
possible to get into the proper spirit for work- 
ing out the true beauty of these arrange- 
ments, so in these pages is given a concise 
history of the different schools and their 
dates; as age counts for so much in Japan 
that the followers of the more modern 
schools are looked down upon with scorn 
by the adepts of the old schools. 



INTRODUCTION 

In Ike-bana the Japanese have given us 
a scientific arrangement of flowers which 
excels all others in beauty of hne and brings 
into our homes the refreshment derived from 
growing plants — a quite difl'erent sensation 
from that given by other arrangements of 
cut flowers. 

By the aid of the foHowing pages, I sin- 
cerely hope that a simple but beautiful 
arrangement of flowers may be easily at- 
tained by all who have felt the desire for 
something less confused in flower arrange- 
ment than has yet been reached by Western 
people. 




Ii8] 



JAPANESE 
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 



[19] 



JAPANESE 
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

CHAPTER ONE 
HISTORY OF IKE-BANA 

TO those interested in Japanese art 
there is no better means of following 
its progress than through the his- 
tory of Japanese flower arrangement. No 
other art is so distinctively their own, bear- 
ing so few traces of foreign origin. 

It is curious that Ike-bana, which is un- 
doubtedly of religious birth and in Japan an 
outcome of Buddhism, should have left no 
impression in India, Ceylon, or Korea, where 
Buddhism was a national creed long before 
it reached Japan. Although the Japanese 
like to credit India with the origin of their 
flower arrangement, in its present form it 
would not be recognized by the land from 

[21] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

which it is thought to have sprung. In 
fact, what Captain Brinkley so aptly wrote 
in regard to the tea ceremony — "although 
the embryo of the tea ceremony came from 
India, its full-grown conventions as practised 
by the Japanese could not be recognized 
by the land of their origin" — applies as 
well to Ike-bana. 

China alone shows a faint impression left 
by its influence in its hideous funeral bou- 
quets — masses of brilliant flowers on short 
stems, crudely and tightly put together much 
as our bouquets were arranged several gen- 
erations ago. The Chinese also lay claim to 
an exquisite basket for holding flowers. But 
this basket is so Greek in outline that 
there is considerable doubt as to whether it 
is Grecian or Chinese. 

By natural outcome from the Buddhist de- 
sire to preserve animal life came the desire to 
preserve plant life. It thus came to be one of 
the occupations of the priests to arrange and 
care for those plants and flowers which were 
the most popular of afl off'erings to the gods. 

[22] 




^.^^f-^'^-^^s 



!n 



Showing bow the Arrangement of Ornaments is influenced 
by the Rules oj Flower Arrangement 



HISTORY OF IKE-BANA 

While in China the Buddhist priests were 
the first instructors of flower arrangement, 
in Japan they only introduced its crudest 
elements. For a long time the art had no 
meaning and was merely the placing in 
vases, without system, of the flowers to 
be used as temple off'erings and before 
ancestral shrines. Again quoting Captain 
Brinkley, "What the Buddhist imported 
from India was based on equality of distri- 
bution — what the Japanese conceived was 
a method based on balance of inequalities." 

The first flower arrangements worked out 
with a system were known as Shin-no- 
hana, meaning central flower arrangement. 
A huge branch of pine or cryptomeria 
stood in the middle, and around the tree 
were placed three or five seasonable flowers. 
These branches and stems were put in vases 
in upright positions without attempt at arti- 
ficial curves. The general form was sym- 
metrical, and this is what we find in Japanese 
religious pictures of the fourteenth century. 
It was the first attempt to represent natural 

[2S] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

scenery. The large tree in the center repre- 
sents distant scenery; plum or cherry blos- 
soms middle distance, the little flowering 
plants the foreground. The lines of these 
arrangements were known as center and 
sub-center. 

The art developed very slowly, and the 
many schools now so popular did not spring 
into existence until the end of the fifteenth 
century. This was the awakening in Japan 
coinciding with the Elizabethan period in 
Europe. In this later part of the fifteenth 
century architecture as well as art under- 
went great reformation. As the kakimono 
(scroll picture) and arrangement of flowers 
were generafly the only ornaments in a 
room, it was natural indeed that the flower 
arrangement influenced the interior decora- 
tions, which became more simple and more 
exquisite. 

Yoshimasa (i 436-1 490), eighth Shogun of 
the Ashikaga Dynasty and a munificent pa- 
tron of the arts, was the greatest promoter of 
Cha-no-yu, the ceremonial tea, and Ike-bana, 

[261 



HISTORY OF IKE-BANA 

flower arrangement. Yoshimasa finally ab- 
dicated the throne in order to devote his 
time to the fine arts. It was he who said 
that flowers off'ered on all ceremonial occa- 
sions and placed as off"erings before the gods 
should not be off"ered loosely, but should 
represent time and thought. Rules then 
commenced to be formulated. 

It is to the celebrated painter Soami, a 
contemporary and friend of Yoshimasa, that 
the Japanese attribute the new develop- 
ment, for it was Soami who conceived the 
idea of representing the three elements of 
Heaven, Man, and Earth, from which have 
grown the principles of the arrangements 
used at the present day. It was at Yoshi- 
masa's Silver Pavilion in Kyoto, where the 
cult of Cha-no-yu, the tea ceremony, and 
Koawase, the incense ceremony, may be 
said to have been evolved that the art of 
Ike-bana received its great development. 

If we follow the taste of the artists of this 
day, known as the Kano School, Sesshu 
(1421-1507), Sesson, Masanobu, Motonobu 

[27\ 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

( 1 477-1 561), and Shugetsu of the sixteenth 
century, we will find them all lovers of na- 
ture, so that Ike-bana advanced in this period 
a step farther than temple and room decora- 
tion and commenced in a crude way to con- 
sider natural beauty in floral arrangement. 
At this time Ike-bana was known as Rikkwa. 

This same age conceived another form 
of Ike-bana called Nageire. Rikkwa and 
Nageire are the two branches into which 
Ike-bana has been divided. National favor 
has vacillated between these two for cen- 
turies. In the beginning Rikkwa was 
stiff", formal, and the more decorative; 
whereas Nageire was simple and nearer to 
nature. 

Although Nageire began to come into favor 
in the Higashiyama Age, Rikkwa was still 
preferred, and Nageire did not truly gain 
popularity until the Momoyama Age, about 
one hundred years after Yoshimasa. It was 
at this period that Cha-no-yu, the Tea Cere- 
mony, reached its highest development and 
strongly influenced the flower art: an adept 

[28] 



HISTORY OF IKE-BANA 

in Cha-no-yu was pretty certain to be also a 
follower of Ike-bana. 

The style of Nageire, after a long, hard 
struggle for existence as a dependent of 
Rikkwa, branched off, became independent 
and very popular. It was welcomed by 
the people of the sixteenth century for its 
freedom of hne and natural beauty. So 
that while these two branches both started 
in the Higashiyama Age, Rikkwa better rep- 
resents the taste of that time, while Nageire 
gives us a truer idea of the taste of the 
Momoyama Age. In short, Rikkwa was 
shghted in the Momoyama period, but in 
the first part of the Tokugawa Age (1603- 
1668) it was revived and became more 
popular than ever before. 

In the Higashiyama Age Rikkwa was 
used only as room decorations on ceremonial 
occasions, but it now was followed as a fine 
art and looked upon as an accompHshment 
and pastime of the upper classes. 

It has always been considered a dignified 
accompHshment. All of Japan's most cele- 

[29] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

brated generals have been masters of this 
art, finding that it calmed their minds and 
made clear their decisions for the field of 
action. That men like Hideyoshi and Yoshi- 
masa, two of Japan's most famous generals, 
found benefit in the practise of Ike-bana 
shows that it is valuable training, even for 
the masculine mind. Rikkwa reached its 
greatest popularity during the Genroku 
Age. 

There were many works on Ike-bana pub- 
lished in the centuries from Kenei (1206-) 
to Genroku (1668- 1704). The first was a 
book called Sendensho, pubhshed in the 
early part of Kenei, and there were many 
others, but none of much value to the stu- 
dent of flower arrangement. They gave few 
rules and their chief object seemed to be 
to withhold all information. They were all 
founded on Soami's idea of the three ele- 
ments. Although these books were value- 
less as far as instruction is concerned, they 
were all fully illustrated, and by these pic- 
tures one can see the gradual progress of 

[50] 



HISTORY OF IKE-BANA 

the art. Finally a most valuable book 
was written by Ikenobu, called Kandensho. 
This was carefully written and very instruct- 
ive, with rules and principles freely given. 

In the Kenei Age Rikkwa was simple 
and natural, with no extreme curves, but in 
Genroku the hnes of the arrangement be- 
came comphcated and the forms pattern- 
like. This was an age of utmost elegance. 
All the fine arts were highly developed, above 
all pattern-printing for fabrics and decora- 
tion. In the later part of the seventeenth 
century Korin, the famous lacquer artist 
and essentially a creator of exquisite designs, 
strongly influenced Ike-bana. At this period 
the combination of a pattern or design in 
flower arrangement, with lines which followed 
the natural growth of the plant, produced 
the most pleasing and graceful results. 

It was in this later part of the seventeenth 
century that Ike-bana was most practised 
and reached its highest degree of perfection 
as an art. Stifl there were occasional back- 
slidings into unnatural curves and into arti- 

[31] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

ficialities. This occurring at the end of the 
period caused a feeling of disgust with Rikkwa, 
and Nageire again revived. Until then only 
one branch of Ike-bana had been taught at a 
time, and this followed the taste of the day; 
but now rival teachers in both Rikkwa and 
Nageire existed. 

Rikkwa reached its greatest popularity 
in the Genroku period, and also then com- 
menced its decline. From the decline of 
Rikkwa, Nageire, the origin of the present 
Ike-bana, grew in power. From this time 
on it ceased to be called Nageire and took 
the name of Ike-bana. In the Tenmei Age 
(178 1 -1 789) Nageire or Ike-bana advanced 
rapidly in favor and developed great beauty 
of line. At this date the exponents of the 
art not only studied nature freely, but com- 
bined this knowledge with that of Rikkwa, 
the result bringing Ike-bana to a very perfect 
state of development. After Tenmei the 
purest and best taste in Ike-bana began to 
diminish and a formal and artificial form of 
arrangement came into existence. This is 

[32] 



HISTORY OF IKE-BANA 

the present form, which has a fixed rule or 
model known as Heaven, Man, and Earth. 

The most popular schools of today, Ike- 
nobu, Enshfu-Ryu, Misho-Ryu, etc., adhere 
to these principles, but there still exist in 
Tokyo and Kyoto many masters of Ike-bana 
who teach the simpler forms of Ko-Ryu, 
and Ko Shin-Ryu of the Genroku and 
Tenmei ages. They feel that the rule of 
Heaven, Earth, and Man, too obstinately 
adhered to, gives constraint and spoils nat- 
uralness of arrangement. It is absolutely 
necessary to use these fundamental prin- 
ciples in order to achieve a well-balanced 
arrangement, but to accentuate and exagger- 
ate these Knes is looked upon as poor taste 
by the admirers of these more natural schools. 
Therefore these lines must not be made so 
strong as to obhterate the natural form of 
the plant. 

I feel most strongly that the styles of 
Ike-bana practical for use in the Western 
world are those which combine the pattern 
or rule with following the natural lines of 

[33] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

plant growth. In doing this we are able to 
enjoy not only an exquisite composition, 
but also a bouquet in which one sees and 
feels the surroundings from which the flowers 
were gathered. 




^--^•sr-^ 



I34] 



CHAPTER TWO 

THE THEORY OF JAPANESE 
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

THE theory of this art, for so the Jap- 
anese consider it, is not only inter- 
esting but is as helpful in producing 
the beautiful results as the few flexible rules; 
and the theory is as inseparable from these 
rules as the early history of Japan is from its 
mythology. Rehgion also contributes to this 
theory. Since flower arrangement entered 
Japan from China with Buddhism, it natu- 
rally was imbued with Chinese and Buddhist 
philosophy. The Buddhist desire to pre- 
serve life lies at the root of the whole subject 
and has created most of the rules of flower 
arrangement, controlling also the shapes of 
the flower vases, which are so formed as to 
help to prolong the life of the flowers. So 
much thought and time would never have 

[3S] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

been given to preservatives had not this de- 
sire predominated in all their floral ofl'erings. 

Quaint and mythical as these ideas appear, 
to them the beauty of line is due, and we 
cannot but doubt if the same results could 
ever have been achieved by commonplace 
thoughts. 

The idea of good and evil fortune governs 
both selection of material and form of ar- 
rangement. The colors of some flowers are 
considered unlucky. Red flowers, which are 
used at funerals, are undesirable not only for 
that reason, but also because red is supposed 
to suggest the red flames of a fire. An odd 
number of flowers is lucky, while even 
numbers are unlucky and therefore unde- 
sirable, and never used in flower arrange- 
ments. With the odd numbers one avoids 
symmetry and equal balance, which are 
actuafly seldom found in nature, and which 
from the Japanese standpoint are never 
attractive in art of any description. 

The difl"erent members of the group in a 
flower arrangement are distinguished by such 

136] 



THEORY OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

classifications as Heaven, Man, and Earth; 
Earth, Air, and Water; Father, Mother, 
and Child. The idea of applying a distinc- 
tion of sex to inanimate objects enters as 
largely into flower arrangement as it does 
into all Japanese landscape gardening; but 
of that we will treat more fully in the prac- 
tical part of this book. 

Consideration of the vase as being some- 
thing more than a mere holder of the flowers 
is purely Japanese. They think of the sur- 
face of the water, which they always expose, 
as the surface of earth from which the group 
springs. This aids in working out the efl'ect 
of representing a complete plant growing as 
nearly as possible in its natural conditions. 

The vase always represents to them the 
points of the compass ; thus : 

South 




[57] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

Just the opposite from our points of direc- 
tion, for the reason that the Japanese put 
themselves in the place of the vase. 

They give an expression of the seasons 
in their floral arrangements, grouping the 
flowers differently according to the time 
of the year. For example, in the month of 
March, when high winds prevail, the un- 
usual curves of the branches convey at once 
the impression of strong winds. In summer 
the Japanese rejoice in the low, broad recep- 
tacles, where the water predominating pro- 
duces a cooler and more refreshing arrange- 
ment than those in upright vases. 

There is no occasion which cannot be 
suggested by the manner in which the 
flowers are arranged. 

It might seem strange to us to have our 
departure from home announced by an 
unusual arrangement of flowers. Yet hun- 
dreds of ordinary occurrences are heralded 
by charming flower compositions. So many 
Japanese poets have sung of the willow, 
comparing its very long branches with long 

[38] 



THEORY OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

life, happy married life, etc., that it is fre- 
quently used for many celebrations and is 
a great favorite for an arrangement made 
at parting, the length of branch insuring 
a safe return from the longest journey, es- 
pecially if one branch is made to form a 
complete circle. 

For a house-warming white flowers are 
used, as they suggest water to quench a 
fire; fire being their constant dread, as in 
the construction of many houses everything 
but the roof is inflammable. Red flowers 
suggest fire, so should be avoided on such 
occasions. To celebrate an inheritance all 
kinds of evergreens or chrysanthemums may 
be used, any flowers which are long-hved, to 
convey the idea that the wealth or posses- 
sions may remain forever with you. 

There are appropriate arrangements for 
afl felicitous occasions, as wefl as for sad 
ones. An off'ering at death should be of 
white flowers, with some dead leaves and 
branches, so arranged as to express peace. 
All gifts of flowers must be in bud, so that 

[39] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

the person to whom they are sent may have 
the pleasure of seeing them open — quite a 
contrast to the present Western idea of 
everything being forced to perfection before 
leaving the florists. 




[40] 



CHAPTER THREE 

PRINCIPLES AND RULES OF 
JAPANESE FLOWER 
ARRANGEMENT 

How the Flowers are Held in Place 

THE first step in the arrangement of 
flowers in Japanese style is to make 
the support or kubari which holds 
the flower in an upright position in the vase. 
This support must be firmly placed in the 
vase so that it wifl not slip from side to side 
before the flowers are put through it. 

Almost every school has a different style 
of support. In some schools the kubari is 
cut differently for every season of the year. 
The ones used by Koshin-Ryu are the sim- 
plest and are the same throughout the year. 
They are like the cuts given on page 42. 

Take any piece of wood in which the sap 
is running and which can be bent without 

[4'] 




JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

splitting; the stick should be in 
proportion to the size of the vase, 
usually about the thickness of 

Fig I one's thumb. SpHt the stick at 
one end, a little to one side of 
the middle, for about an inch, 
or long enough to admit all 
the branches you wish to pass 

p,"^ 2 through; then at the end of this 
sht, or where the opening stops, 
make a notch with a knife 
through the bark on the thinner 
side and bend this thin side back 
until it forms a fork like Fig. i. 
'^' ^ This notch forms a hinge which 
can be opened wide enough to 
admit of many flowers or closed 
so as to hold only one. It also 
prevents the sht from running 
the entire length of the stick. 

In measuring the stick place 
one end an inch below the top 
edge of the vase, slanting the 
other end over the top edge on 




Fig. 4 





Showing bow Flowers are placed in Showing how Flowers are placed in 
Holder No. i Holder No. 2 




Flowers placed in Holder No. 4 
This arrangement is described under 
Ashirai 



Showing Flowers placed in 
Holder No. 5 



PRINCIPLES AND RULES 

the other side. This will make it long 
enough; but were you to measure straight 
across the top of the vase when you opened 
the stick at the end, it would become too 
short and fall into the receptacle. 

In placing the support in the vase put 
the open end at the back of the vase. 
Place the open end in first and force the 
stick into a horizontal position with its 
other end. The support should be at least 
one inch below the surface of the water 
when in its proper place; thus it will be 
entirely hidden from sight and the flowers 
will appear to be holding their upright posi- 
tion without artificial aid. This kubari is 
easily made and will be found most useful 
in making one branch or flower stand up- 
right in a wide-mouthed receptacle. 

Another support is made from a forked 
piece of wood with ends slanted off" at 
different angles. (See Fig. 2.) This is 
better for large branches which require 
great strength in the support, but for all 
flowers and slender branches Fig. i is the 

[47] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

better. It is often difficult to get a forked 
stick the proper size. It will either be 
too large or too small. Whereas the first 
kubari can be cut to fit the flowers you in- 
tend to pass through it and will require no 
wedges to fill up the unoccupied opening at 
the back. These wedges, which the beginner 
often finds necessary to keep his flowers firm 
in the kubari, are not desirable, as they are 
untidy and detract from the all-in-one parent- 
stalk appearance. 

If you have no suitable wood at hand from 
which to make a support, use the ends of 
the branches or flowers you are arranging, 
crossed as shown in Fig 5. This is not 
considered desirable and is used only in an 
emergency. 

These stick supports are used for all flowers 
and plants placed in high vases, but for 
water-growing flowers in low receptacles the 
lead rings and metal holders are used in 
the ways described later. 

[48] 




[49 



CHAPTER FOUR 

AN ARRANGEMENT OF THREE 
FLOWERS IN HIGH VASE 

FIRST select your flowers or branches. 
In time one learns to choose flowers 
which lend themselves to the three 
principles of Heaven, Man, and Earth so 
nearly to begin with that very Httle bending 
or pruning is necessary. 

When you can yourself choose your own 
material to work with half the battle is over; 
but if obliged to use branches or flowers 
chosen by the uninitiated the task is made 
difficult. 

Select your flowers or branches with as 
long stems as possible. 

Every arrangement must have the three 
principal parts known as Heaven, Man, and 
Earth. Any additional branches or sprays 
are merely supports to these main principles. 



Heaven. 



Attribute 



Attribute 



£4f-ih 




M^rt 



Principal Lines used in Flower Arrangement 



Be^veirv 



E4»-th 




M^K 



Principal Lines used in Flower Arrangement 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 

The lines of these three principles are 
described by the Japanese in this way: 

Heaven 



Man 

Earth 





Standing Going Running 

For convenience we will always call these 
three parts Heaven, Man, and Earth. Every 
school applies different names to these prin- 
ciples, but to vary them here would only 
cause confusion, and whatever each school 
may call them, they all place them in the 
same position in grouping and give them the 
same relative heights. 

Before commencing the arrangement bear 
in mind these important rules: 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

First. The idea that your arrangement is 
to represent a hving plant, not cut flowers. 

Second. By form of arrangement to sug- 
gest the season of the year. 

Third. Suggest the nature of the growth 
of the plant you are arranging by the 
proper use of buds, open flowers, and 
withered leaves. 

Fourth. Be sure to keep afl the branches 
or stems together at the base for at least 
four inches above the surface of the water, 
to form the parent stalk. This is most 
important. Branches separated at the base 
are very badly arranged. The surface of the 
water in which the flowers are placed repre- 
sents the surface of the soil from which the 
group springs; so that here you want to 
convey the impression of strength and a 
vigorous origin. For four or five inches 
the stems or branches must follow the same 
line. This need not always be a strictly 
vertical one, but if curved, the curves must be 
strong and avoid afl weak bends and angles. 
This is a most important rule, for without 

[S6] 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 

strength and unity at the base the group 
loses the effect of a living plant ; it loses also 
strength, character, and style. An arrange- 
ment spreading and separating at the base 
is not Japanese. 

Fifth. Branches or leaves must never cross 
each other in an arrangement. 

Sixth. Consider the blossom as a detail of 
the composition, of little artistic value if dis- 
associated from the parent stalk and from 
those lines of growth which impart to it its 
character. 

Seventh. Never use even numbers of 
branches or flowers, always uneven. 

Balance and beauty of line without repe- 
tition must be the distinguishing feature in 
these arrangements. 

In making your first arrangement of three 
flowers in an upright vase, select flowers 
the stems of which are simple and straight 
without many branching leaves or flowers. 
The best material for a beginner is pussy- 
wiflow, for its stems are phable and of uncom- 
plicated lines. To work with these first for 

[57] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

practise will give more satisfactory results 
than if fuller sprays are attempted. 

Work slowly to begin with; but in the 
end you will find that flowers take no longer 
to arrange in Japanese style than in any less 
satisfactory way. 

When arranging white and colored flowers 
together, put white or lightest shade at the 
top, unless the dark flowers are the longest; 
then you are obhged to use them as Heaven. 
But the best form is to have white or dehcate 
shades at the top. 

First pick out your Heaven which must 
always be the longest one and take the central 
position in the group. Its length should be 
one and a half times the height of the vase. 

Man comes second, next in length. It 
should be half the length of Heaven. 

Earth is third and shortest. It should be 
half the length of Man. . -^ 

The lengths should be determined before 
the sprays are bent. 

Before these branches can be placed in 
the receptacle they must all be bent into 

[S8] 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 

their proper shapes. The bending is done 
according to the rules for bending given 
later. 

Now take the longest branch, from which 
Heaven is to be made. It must then be 
bent carefully into this shape, (see 
cut) or a line as nearly as possi- 
ble like it. There can be but one 
Heaven branch. It can never be 
multiplied. 

Hold the branch up before you 
and look at it carefully to deter- 
mine which side will serve better 

for the front. This should be 
the side the leaves and flowers 
naturally turn to. After you 
have bent it to your satisfac- 
tion, place it in water, but not 
in the receptacle the arrange- 
ment is to be made in. 

Next take up Man, which 
should be the first placed in 
the vase. It will be shorter 
than Heaven, but follows its lines like this. 

lS9] 




JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

(See cut.) Hold this branch in your hand 
together with Heaven, having it directly in 
front of Heaven and making its lines cor- 
respond with those of Heaven for four inches 
at the base. Above the four inches it can 
show more independence and branch off 
farther from Heaven, but must still hold 
the same lines, only at a distance from it. 

Last of all you bend the Earth branch, 
which like Man takes the lines of Heaven 
at the base for four inches. Hold Earth in 
your hand with the other two branches in 
order to get the base lines exactly right. 
The Japanese always first compose an ar- 
rangement in their hands be- 
fore placing it in the vase. 

Earth, after following at 

the base the exact lines of 

the other two, takes an inde- 

I pendent line like this (see 

cut) — a decidedly lateral 

tendency that none of the other branches 

have. It is necessary that this branch should 

appear very far back of the others. 

l6o] 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 

Now you have your flowers ready to put in 
place. The beginner must follow closely all 
these rules to be sure of being right before he 
commences to put the flowers in an upright 
position in the vase. If you understand well 
the theory of arranging these three you can 
arrange any number of flowers in the same 
way. 

Your kubari having been firmly fixed in 
the vase as described, the vase is fifled about 
three-quarters fuH of water. 
If fifled to the brim you 
spin the water in placing 
the flowers, so wait until 
the arrangement is com- 
pleted, then fifl. With the 
open end of the kubari away from you as 
in the cut, take Heaven in your hand, place 
Man in front of it, and into the hoflow 
formed by Heaven place Earth back of 
Heaven. 

While you hold the branches in your hand, 
take the knife and cut off" on a slant afl the 
branches; thus: 

[6i] 







JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 




For if your stems are left blunt and round at 
the ends the kubari will be split apart; or if 
you slant off each one separately as you 
finish bending it, you are apt to cut it wrong; 
for if the branches are not all slanted off 
on exactly the same side they will fall apart 
at the base, where they must be joined as 
one. No amount of twisting and turning 
will bring them into proper place if they have 
been cut on opposite sides. 

Next put Man in the kubari and pull as 
far forward into the fork of the kubari as 
possible. When it stands firmly erect by 
itself follow it with Heaven, pulling that 
close to Man, and then Earth goes in last at 
the back and is pulled close to the other 

[6^1 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 

two. The kubari should have been cut just 
large enough to have these three fill the 
opening, Man pressing firmly to the end of 
the forked opening in the kubari and Earth 
pressed against the back of the vase. Should 
they not fill the opening, use sticks cut from 
the ends of the flowers you are using to fill 
up with. Cut these wedge sticks all about 
four inches long, slanting each one off" at the 
bottom, and pass them through the kubari 
into the space back of the flowers until 
all the opening there is filled up and the 
flowers are firmly wedged in place. 

When you have finished placing the flowers 
in the vase, sit at a distance and carefully 
look your arrangement over. First observe 
the balance of the fines. The top of Heaven 
must be directly over its base and Earth must 
balance Man, though not on the same level. 
If you find Heaven, or the central branch, 
seems a little out of position after you have 
placed it in the vase and appears as foflows : 



163] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 





turn the kubari in the vase a httle to the 
right or left as the case may require. 

Then see that the stems are all together 
at the base for about four inches. This is 
absolutely necessary in order to make the 
few cut flowers seem one whole and growing 
plant. The stems, in keeping close together 
and appearing as one, form the parent stalk 
and give strength to the whole arrangement. 
This also is its most Japanese characteristic, 
the feature wherein the Japanese arrange- 

[64] 




0^- 



Three Sprays of Magnolia 




Any Three Sprays of Flowers growing in Clusters 
may be arranged as these 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 



ments most differ from those of all other 
countries. The rest of us only show the tops 
of plants or just the flower itself in arranging 
flowers, while the Japanese show the whole 
growth from where the plant leaves the 
ground up to its tip. 

To determine the proper distance for which 
the branches should be kept together to form 
the parent stalk, until the 
eye has become trained in 
recognizing it, hold your 
hand about the stems as 
shown in the cut. Then take 
the line from above the fore- 
finger to the surface of the 
water. 

No two branches must be 
exactly the same height or 
point in the same direction, 
all turn upward at their tips to give a sense 
of aspiration, of the stretching heavenward 
of the plant's growth. 

Next cut ofl" afl ifl-placed or superfluous 
twigs, leaves, or flowers. By this is meant 

[75] 




They should 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 



where one leaf hides another (cut i) or 
where one twig crosses another, as in cut 
2. You must have every flower, leaf, and 
twig so arranged that it shows plainly its 

if 

Cut oj^....:3^ / 




Cut o« botfc 



No. 2 



No. I 



own lines, but in no way hides the flowers, 
foliage, or hne of any other part. You 
must not recklessly at first, cut off" foliage 
or flowers which seem out of place but wait 
until your flowers are aH put in the vase. 
Then take time in deciding which flower or 
leaf must be sacrificed. The beauty of the 
result depends entirely upon the manner in 
which this cutting is done. When rightly 

174] 



ARRANGEMENT IN HIGH VASE 

done each flower, twig, and leaf stands out 
in clear-cut outlines and the arrangement 
appears full; but if heedlessly done and the 
wrong parts are sacrificed, it appears poor 
and scant, although there may be no confu- 
sion of line or actual faults. This is a very 
important part of flower arrangement and 
only great care and practise wiH bring about 
the proper result. It is not so difficult as 
it at first appears, however. 

Every arrangement of flowers should have 
some buds, some half-open flowers, and some 
fufly open ones. Use the half-opened for 
Heaven, the fuH-blown for Man, and the 
bud for Earth. If you have two fufl-blown 
flowers, use one high and the other low and 
arrange a leaf just above the one in the 
lower position, half covering it. This is 
because flowers blooming under leaves are 
considered In or feminine, and take the 
lower places. 

Do not forget that while it is aflowable for 
branches to bend down toward the earth, 
at their ends they must be bent up toward 

l7S] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

Heaven. Tips which cannot be made to 
bend up must be cut off. 

A flower must always have a leaf near it. 
This is not only to enhance the beauty of 
the flower, but the leaf acts as a water- 
sucker. Without the aid of a leaf a flower 
is incapable of getting enough water for its 
needs and soon withers. This apphes where 
flower and leaf frrow on the same stem. 






1-6] 



CHAPTER FIVE 

THE TWO PRINCIPAL FORMS OR 
STYLES USED IN FLOWER 
ARRANGEMENT 

IN and Yo are the names of the two 
styles in one or the other of which every 
Japanese arrangement must be made. 

In is the female style. It has Earth 
to the right. 

Yo is the male and has Earth to the left. 

These statements may not seem to agree 
with the diagrams, but it should be remem- 
bered that the Japanese put themselves in 
the place of the vase, and in this book 
directions are given from the Japanese 
standpoint. 

Outside of Japan, where many meanings 
and symbolisms are attached to the sex of 
the style, it will not matter which arrange- 
ment you make, except for consideration of 

[77] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 



the space your flowers are to be placed in. 
When they are not to be placed in the center 
of a mantel-shelf or table but at one side, 
Earth should project towards the widest 




"Yo" or male 




''In" or Jemale 



space, not towards the end. Otherwise let 
the natural curves of the flowers decide 
the sex of your arrangement. So that if 
Heaven or central flower has naturafly a 
decidedly In bend, make a feminine ar- 
rangement, with Earth going to the right. 
Or should Heaven have a natural curve 
in the opposite direction, put Earth to the 

[78] 



PRINCIPLE FORMS OR STYLES 

left in the hollow and make a male or 
left-sided arrangement. 

Earth's lateral bend is due to the need of 
such a line to balance the curve of Heaven 
in the opposite direction. 




o o 



\79 



CHAPTER SIX 

TO MAKE AN ARRANGEMENT OF 
FIVE FLOWERS 

ARRANGEMENTS of five flowers or 
branches are called Gogyo. They 
should be arranged like the cut. 
No. I represents Heaven. 
No. 2 represents Man. 
No. 5 represents Earth. 
But they are placed in the arrangement 
as they are numbered; No. 3 and No. 4 
being attributes to Heaven and Man. 

Forming "Steps" or ''Dan'* 

In some arrangements you can make the 
flowers form **dan" or "steps," like this: 
If the branches have many flowers or leaves, 
or if you are arranging numbers of branches 
together, then put the greater part of the 

[80] 



ARRANGEMENT OF FIVE FLOWERS 

flowers or leaves, as the case may be, in 
the encircled place in the right-hand figure 
in the diagram. This is the main body of 
the arrangement and is called do. Never use 
this style of arrangement with three flowers. 






[8i] 



CHAPTER SEVEN 

HOW TO ARRANGE FIVE 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS 

SELECT the flowers most graceful in 
shape for Heaven and Man, which 
would here be No. 3 for Heaven 
and No. i for Man, with No. 5 for Earth, 
leaving Nos. 2 and 4 as tasuke or attributes. 
The tasuke should never be taken from the 
most striking material or most beautiful 
flowers, for those must be used in the more 
prominent positions of Heaven, Man, and 
Earth. 

Heaven should have a fuHy opened flower, 
turning a trifle towards the back, so as to 
reveal the back of the flower. The tasuke of 
Heaven can be either a half-opened flower 
or a bud. For Man use a half-opened 
flower or a fufl-blown one. Earth should 
be fufl-blown and should be faced straight 

[82] 



TO ARRANGE FIVE CHRYSANTHEMUMS 

upwards. One of the five flowers should be 
behind the leaves. This naturally will be 
one of the tasuke, as No. 2 in the cut, show- 
ing the five chrysanthemums arrangement 
completed. 





[85] 



CHAPTER EIGHT 

RULES FOR BENDING FLOWERS 
AND BRANCHES 

BENDING the flowers and branches 
into the shapes desired is a very im- 
portant part of Japanese arrange- 
ment, and there are many methods by 
which this bending may be accomplished. 

Flowers Bent by Hand 
Most flowers and slender branches can be 
bent by the pressure and heat of the hand. 
In so doing take care that you bring the 




pressure to bear between sections, not at the 
joints. Hold flowers in your hand as shown 
in the cut. Put thumbs underneath the stem 

[84] 



BENDING FLOWERS AND BRANCHES 

and the first and second fingers above. The 
thumbs must be kept close together while 
you bend, as the stems will break if the 
thumbs are separated. Bend the stem into 
proper shape by pressing up with the thumbs 
and puHing down with the first and second 
fingers. Try to twist the stem a trifle as you 
bend. Do not hold the pressure too long on 
any one part of the stem, but keep the fingers 
moving along the stem back and forth for the 
distance of the desired curve. All flowers and 
branches will be found easier to bend and 
will hold their curves better if, before arrang- 
ing, they are placed in deep water in tubs or 
pitchers, for over night if possible; always 
for one hour at least before arranging. The 
chill taken off the water will also make the 
stems more pliable. 

To Bend Larger Stems oj a Woody Nature 
also Small Branches 

These large, tough branches can some- 
times be bent by hand pressure, especiafly 
branches of spring blossoms, such as the 

[8s] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 



fruit blossoms and the flowering shrubs. 
The branch to be bent is held in the palms 
of one*s hands like this : 





Another method is to tie down the 
branch for twelve hours, or attach weights 
to branches as shown on the opposite page. 

Branches may be bent until they break if 
the broken part comes beneath the surface 
of the water, but the bark must not be 
injured on any part visible above the water. 
Branches can also be bent over the knee. 

The last resort with an obstinate branch 
is to use wedges, which is seldom done except 

[86] 



BENDING FLOWERS AND BRANCHES 



by the school of Enshiu-Ryu; but by their 
use very large branches may be curved as 
one wishes. It is done in this way on the 





opposite side from which you wish the branch 
to curve. Make incisions with a saw. (See 
cut.) Then cut out wedge-shaped pieces from 
another branch; thus: 



^^l^bliate--.'' fi i'"* Wi«.T^ift^ 



forming pieces hke this 




[87] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

Then open the incisions and put in wedges, 
and force them down level with the bark of 
the branch. 

Another way to facilitate bending an ob- 
stinate branch is first to heat it at the place 
where the bend should come, then bend by 
wrapping it with paper dipped in vinegar 
over the heated spot. 

Bending oj Leaves 
By this is meant the turning over of leaves so 
that their backs may be seen. For this use only 
the fingers dipped in water. The foliage of daf- 
fodil, narcissus, and iris is bent in this way. 




CHAPTER NINE 

WATER-GROWING BULBS AND ALL 

ARRANGEMENTS MADE IN LOW 

BROAD RECEPTACLES 

LEAD rings and metal flower holders 
are used in place of the wooden sup- 
ports for water-growing plants, and 
always in the flat, low receptacles. These 
holders are made in many shapes and of 
lead, iron, and bronze. The commonest are 
of lead, usuaHy of two or three circles, each 
forming openings for the flowers; and in the 
shape of turtles, fish, etc. An attractive 
holder is a bronze crab holding the group 
of flowers in his claws at one side of the 
receptacle. 

The finger openings of the scissors used for 
cutting flowers may also be employed as a 
holder when no other is to be had. Or a 
metal chain placed around the group of 

[89] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 



flowers and tied in a loose knot with the 

ends pulled out makes an excellent holder. 

Use your own ingenuity and see if you 

cannot find amongst your possessions some- 





thing which can be utilized. You could not 
better succeed in pleasing the Japanese than 
by happening on some form of holder never 
used by them. 

Before you commence remember that you 
are not merely trying to arrange a group of 
flowers suitable to the low vase, and which 
will appear well in it, but that you are 
endeavoring to represent the conditions in 
which the plant grew. Should the plant 

[po] 



WATER-GROWING BULBS 

have been growing in or near the water in 
its natural habitat, make the flowers and 
leaves occupy the smaller part of the vase 
at side or corner and the water predominate. 





This gives the refreshment of the actual 
out-of-doors in the locality where the plant 
was growing. 

When ready to arrange the flowers, select 
them as before, according to the three prin- 
ciples of Heaven, Man, and Earth. But in 
these flat vases it is better to make a separa- 
tion in the groups. Put your Heaven and 
Man in one opening of the holder, placing 
Man in front of Heaven, and Earth in an 

l9'] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

opening by itself, with at least one open- 
ing intervening between it and the Heaven 
group. This better represents the growth 





of water plants in clumps or clusters. These 
lead rings were devised with the idea of leav- 
ing openings between the groups of flowers 




so that the gold fish, so frequently used with 
the water arrangements, could swim in and 
out beneath the cool shade of the leaves. 
[92] 




Simple Arrangement oj Iris 







Arrangement of Yellow Lilies and Reed Grasses 







Arrangement of Three Irises 



7 
V 



9 

r 




WaUr Kxrangmieni showing Iris and Grasses 




Different Ways oj grouping Iris Leaves 







Simple Arrangement of Leaves 



i^^ 



vi4 




Water Arrangement. Showing how a branch may touch 
the water but must come out again turning upward 



^5 




Arrangement of Common Yellow Lily 



WATER-GROWING BULBS 

Such openings left for the fish are known as 
sakana-michi, or fish highways. 

It is not correct in these arrangements to 
let any of the groups hang over the edge 
of the vase. The edge is considered as the 
frame of the picture, and nothing should 
be allowed to pass beyond it. A branch or 
spray in these water-growing arrangements 
may, however, bend over and touch the 
water, pass under it, and come out again, 
pointing upwards. 

Flowers Arranged in Holders are Easier 
for a Beginner 

The holder stands up of itself, and after 
placing it in the vase you can at once begin 
work. Then, too, the lines in these arrange- 
ments are more simple and upright and are 
arranged according to relative height and posi- 
tion, only very httle bending being required. 
To my thinking there is no arrangement of 
flowers more beautiful than these in the low 
vases, and nothing can be accomphshed more 
quickly. 

[ 109 ] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

This style of Japanese flower arrangement 
is easily adapted to Western table decora- 
tion. There is no end to their variety. The 
low, broad proportions of these arrange- 
ments make them more suitable than the 
high groups generally used, cutting off those 
seated on one side of the table from those 
on the other, which is not conducive to 
conversation. 

In these flat, open vases even a few grasses 
will make an attractive arrangement. Use 




perhaps nine grasses for your Heaven, seven 
for Man, and five or three for Earth. If 
you are unable to get any sedge or reeds, 

[7/0] 



WATER-GROWING BULBS 

which would naturally grow at the water's 
edge, use the foHage of daffodils or narcissi, 
and you will find the result as pleasing as if 
you had used flowers. 

In these vases stones and rocks used to 
simulate a river bed make an effective deco- 




ration. On the bottom of the vase place 
small stones fitted together closely so that 
the bottom is hidden. On top of these small 
stones place three quite large ones; one, as 
with the flowers, representing the Heaven 
element, the second that of Man, and the 
third the Earth. The stones should be 
something Hke these. Place the Heaven 
and Man stones near together, the Earth 
stone at a little distance, spacing hke the 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

water-growing plants. A bit of moss on the 
tops of these stones, or a tiny bit of cedar or 
hemlock trimmed into a tree shape and put 
at the side of the tallest or Heaven rock, 
makes a charming arrangement when no 
flowers are to be had. 




[,12] 



CHAPTER TEN 
ARRANGEMENT OF BRANCHES 

1^ TO more satisfactory effects or more 
^ charming results can be had than 
in working out Japanese rules with 
branches of trees. Here, as in all other 
arrangements, the Japanese prefer to follow 
nature. We, not so much from ignorance 
as lack of thought and time, take branches 
from trees where they have been growing in 
a horizontal position and place them in a 
vase in a perpendicular one, with the leaves 
standing up and facing to the front instead 
of flat and spreading as they grew. The 
Japanese have, of necessity, to let the main 
stick stand upright. In this position it forms 
the trunk of the tree, and the smaller twigs 
are twisted into the form of its branches, 
thus making a small branch of the tree 
appear as a whole diminutive tree. 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

Branches are much used by the Japanese, 
for, unlike us, they consider them as flowers 
and use them for their most important 
arrangements. 

To Put a Large Branch into a Vase 
without a Support 

Take any well-shaped branch either from 
fruit trees, maples, or evergreens and you 
will find you can make an attractive arrange- 
ment by placing one such large branch in 
a vase without any trimming or support, 
provided that you bring the branch into 
perfect balance. By this we mean that 
the extreme summit of the branch must be 
directly over its base. Often, however, when 
the branch is merely thrust into the vase, it 
will fall over to one side, thus — forming no 
attractive lines and usually tipping over the 
vase as it falls out of balance. If this occurs, 
split the end for three or four inches at the 
base, bend one split to the right and the 
other to the left until these cut ends press 
tightly on opposite sides of the vase, and so 

[ 114] 




Pine Branch 




Plum Branch 




Pine and Plum 



ARRANGEMENT OF BRANCHES 

hold the branch firmly in proper position. 
When the branch is too large and tough to 
admit of your bending back these split ends 





with your hands, put a stick into the opening 
to force it apart, as shown in the cut. 

These branch arrangements will be found to 
make most striking decorations in rooms of 
large proportions. They will be found much 
more satisfactory than floral decorations, and 
they will out-last them. 

[I2l\ 



CHAPTER ELEVEN 



MAKING ONE BRANCH JOINED AT 

THE BASE SERVE EOR WHOLE 

ARRANGEMENT 



T 



AKE a branch like the illustration and 
saw off the branch where it divides 
in two at the base at place marked 





*'cut off here for Man branch." Lay this 
aside for Man. Where the branches join 
[122] 



SYSTEM OF ARRANGEMENT 

at the top and are marked "cut off for 
Earth,'* saw off there to form your Earth. 
The three branches, when cut off accord- 
ing to directions, form the shapes shown in 
the illustration. 




[ i2s] 



CHAPTER TWELVE 

HOW TO SUGGEST THE SEASON 

OF THE YEAR IN FLOWER 

ARRANGEMENT 

THE Japanese describe the growth of 
the plant from flower to fruit as the 
moving of the plant soul from flower 
to leaf and from leaf to fruit, according to 
the four seasons of the year. In spring the 
soul is in the flowers, in summer it is in the 
leaves, and in autumn it comes into the fruit, 
while in winter it spreads into the branches. 

Spring Arrangement of Flowers 

In the spring let your flowers be loose 
and spreading. Have some branches bending 
slightly toward the front and others toward 
the back. Heaven is always upright, but 
with the branches representing Man let some 

[ 124] 



J 








A March Arrangement showing Influence 
oj High Wind 










An Arrangement suitable Jor February or March 
when Winds are High 



HOW TO SUGGEST THE SEASON 

point forward and others backward. Do 
this also with the Earth sprays. 

Let the Midzu-giwa — the place at the 
base where all the stems must unite and 
appear as one stalk — be short, about three 
inches or so in length. The shortening of this 
part of the arrangement makes it look full and 
spreading, as all plant hfe is at that season. 

The amount of water put into the vase is 
regulated according to the season. In spring, 
when the streams are full to overflowing, 
vases are filled to the brim. The Japanese 
put wax on the edges of the vase, so that 
the water can go over the rim at this season 
and look as if it were overflowing, yet not 
actually spill. 

Summer Arrangement 
In summer use young green leaves in 
great abundance. Cut leaves off^ near the 
water in order to give a cool eff'ect. 

Make the Midzu-giwa shorter than at any 
other season, about two inches in length 
and make your arrangement very fuH and 

[i2g] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

spreading. Bring as much variety into the 
bend of your branches as possible. Shallow 
vases, with a wide expanse of water, are most 
used at this season. 

Autumn Arrangement 

In autumn use a few golden or yellow leaves 
in your arrangement, to suggest the harvest 
time. 

Make your arrangements less full, using 
fewer sprays and branches. 

The Midzu-giwa becomes longer, about 
four inches; for at this time the leaves are 
beginning to fall from the trees and one sees 
more of the trunk and branches. 

The Japanese tell us to make at this sea- 
son an arrangement expressing serenity and 
peace. By this they mean that we should 
make a simpler arrangement than in spring 
or summer and give more attention to 
beauty of line than fohage or flowers. 

Winter Arrangement 
In winter arrange flowers with few curves. 
Make your sprays or branches more flat. 
[130] 



HOW TO SUGGEST THE SEASON 

Do not bring the Man and Earth sprays 
to the front, but when bending them away 
from the center spray bend them rather 
shghtly backward. 

Each hne must stand out as clear-cut as 
the branches of a tree in winter. All plants 
have a sparser growth at this time. The 
foliage has entirely gone now and the trunk 
of the tree is seen to a greater height, so the 
Midzu-giwa is longer in winter than at any 
other season. It should now be five inches 
in length. 




[i^i] 



CHAPTER THIRTEEN 
FLOWERS IN HANGING RECEPTACLES 

VINES of all varieties should be placed 
in hanging vases, as the nature of 
their growth can be shown to better 
advantage in this way. A vine in an upright 
position is very unnatural, but in a hanging 
vase it can fall over the edge as though it 
were creeping over a rock or cHnging to the 
side of a hill. Only the short and unimpor- 
tant ends are allowed to go upright. 

Arrangements are made in hanging vases 
according to the same principles of Heaven, 
Man, and Earth. Heaven is still the long- 
est branch or spray, only in these receptacles 
it hangs down instead of standing upright. 
This is because the character of vines is to 
droop, and Heaven, the most important ele- 
ment of the group in flower arrangements, 
must always indicate in its lines the natural 
growth of the plant. 
[752] 





Arrangement oj Morning Glories in Hanging Vase 




This shows a Hanging Arrangement in which the Heaven 
is Upright, an exception to the general rule, owing to 
the natural growth oj plant 




Hanging Moon 





Hooked Vase 




Out-going Boat 




Standard Arrangement 





Incoming or Boat oj Good Fortune 




Sitting Boat going 







Hanging Moon 




Morning Glories in Hanging Boat 



* 




Sitting Boat at Anchor 




Boat Bow on with Iris 



FLOWERS IN HANGING RECEPTACLES 

Notice the illustration of an arrangement 
of morning glories. Morning glories should 
never have more than one or two full, open 
flowers. 

One of the most popular and beautiful of 
the hanging arrangements is that done in a 
crescent-shaped vase so as to show the date 
of the month. The first day of the month 
starts with a long streamer hanging out in 
front on the left-hand side, as shown in the 
illustration. This streamer is shortened each 
day until the tenth of the month, when a 
new long streamer is put in at the back and 
there shortened each day until the twentieth, 
when the streamer again comes to the front; 
but for the last ten days it is at the right- 
hand side. 

The boat in its various forms has been so 
perfectly described by Mr. Conder that only 
a few examples of it are given here. 

Tree branches are also used in hanging 
vases. Trees being of higher growth than 
flowers and shrubs, it is proper that they 
should be placed high. 

[is?] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

When on the vase itself there are deco- 
rations of flowers or a poem, the sprays 
arranged in it should be so placed as to hide 
none of the decorations. The nail on which 
the hanging vase is hung must be halfway 
between the ceihng and floor. The longest 
streamer must stop within three inches of 
the floor. 




[j;S\ 



CHAPTER FOURTEEN 
ASHIRAI 

ONE of the loveliest features in flower 
arrangement is known as Ashirai; 
it is also one of the most difficult to 
master. It is the placing at the base of the 
arrangement a flower of a different variety 
from that used in the main arrangement. 

A flower is frequently arranged in this way 
at the base of a tree arrangement, simulat- 
ing a flower springing up at the root of a 
tree. I give here an example of forsythia 
arranged with an Ashirai of camelia. 

The Ashirai should be placed slightly to 
one side or a trifle behind the main arrange- 
ment. By no means must it cross the main 
arrangement in front, by any of its leaves, 
flowers, or branches. The Ashirai and the main 
arrangement should be separate and distinct, 
each perfect and complete without the other. 



ASHIRAI 



The Ashirai must not be too close to the 
main arrangement nor too widely separated, 
but what the Japanese call "ideally" sep- 
arated; then the effect is exquisite. 

If, as often happens after you have finished 
an arrangement of shrubs or tree branches, 
it appears rather blank and "lonely" near 
the water, add Ashirai and the result will be 
charming. 

How to Arrange Ashirai 

As the original groups have been already 
placed in the support and fill it completely, 





No. I 



No. 



the Ashirai is placed outside the support and 
the end of each stem spht at the base and 
turned back as shown in the cut. This holds 
[i6o] 





Showing bow a Branch with Ashirai may be arranged 
without a Support 



V 




Ash'xrax Arrangement oj Pine Bamboo and Cbrysantbemum 




Still another Arrangement oj Asbirai 



ASHIRAI 



the Ashirai firmly. Another excellent Ashirai 
support is like the kubari with three prongs 
already shown. In this the main arrange- 
ment is pkced in one side and the Ashirai 
in the other, as shown in the illustrations 
on page i6o. 

Ashirai in a water arrangement. When an 
Ashirai is combined with a flower arrange- 
ment made in a low, flat vase, the main 




No. I 





No. 3 



arrangement need have no Earth or lowest 
branch, but Earth will be formed by the 
Ashirai. 

No. I represents Ashirai badly arranged, 

[167] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

because two leaves and a flower prevent us 
from a full front view of the main stem. 

No. 2 represents Ashirai too close to the 
main stem. 

No. 3 Ashirai is "ideally" arranged. It 
being separate and distinct, the eff"ect is admi- 
rable. The leaves behind the flower marked 
by a long hne at the right of the arrange- 
ment render the whole thing very eff"ect- 
ive. There should always be these leaves 
in an Ashirai arrangement. 






[,68] 




Asbirai arranged in Three-pronged Kuhari 



CHAPTER FIFTEEN 



FLOWERS ARRANGED ACCORDING TO 
SHAPES OF VASES 

WHEN the vase is round or oval, 
form an imaginary square in it 
as shown in the figure and draw 
out the branches from the upper two angles; 
that is, the branches are placed as always 





^ 



^ ^ 



@ 



;0 



in the center of the vase, but their upper 
ends are bent back towards the corners. 

If the vase is square, hexagonal, or octag- 
onal, place one of the angles in front and 
draw out the branches from the sides, not 

1 171] 



SHAPES OF VASES 

from the angles. But if the vase is a low 
square or parallelogram, one of the sides 
comes to the front and the branches are 
drawn from the angles. 

Proportion oj the Height of Flowers to 
the Vase 

If the vase is a foot high, the flower in it 
should be a foot and a half high, or once 
and a half the height of the vase. The 
height of a flower is measured from the top 
of Heaven to the water. 

In low, flat vases the diameter is taken 
and the height of the highest flower must 
be once and a half the diameter. 

In flower vases placed on a stand measure 
the height of the vase, including the stand, 
and, as in other cases, make the flowers once 
and a half the height. 



[ 172] 



CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

FLOWERS BLOOMING IN AND OUT 
OF SEASON 

IN Japan flowers which bloom in their 
proper season are the most highly es- 
teemed and are considered the most 
suitable for gifts. When flowers blooming 
in season are arranged with flowers which 
have been forced into bloom in advance of 
or kept after their usual time of blossom, the 
seasonable flowers will always take the high- 
est positions. Heaven and Man wifl be made 
of the seasonable flowers, and only Earth 
may be of those blooming out of their time. 
Flowers blooming out of season would 
never be chosen for a present by a Japa- 
nese nor used as decorations for an entertain- 
ment. In fact a Japanese never attaches 
any value to flowers or fruit forced out of 
their proper season; strawberries in January 

['73] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

have no charms for him. In presenting 
flowers to a friend they always send them in 
buds, so that the friend may experience the 
pleasure of seeing the flowers open in his 
own home; and a branch of a non-flowering 
tree would be given while its leaves were 
forming, so that the pleasure of watching the 
leaves unfold would not be lost. 




[174] 



/ 



it 




Arrangement of Plum Blossoms. The upper section of 
the vase is filled with water only, and is supposed to 
represent the reflection oj the moon 




I/- 

o 
A- 



Three-sectioned Vase with Wistaria and Iris 



CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 

HOW TO ARRANGE FLOWERS IN A 
VASE OF MANY SECTIONS 

TREES are all yo, or masculine, so 
when they are arranged with any- 
thing else they must be above, while 
grasses and flowers, being feminine, can be 
put down in the lower parts of the arrange- 
ment. But when your vase is a hanging one, 
a many-sectioned vase or a double bucket, 
you may arrange grasses high and trees low. 
This is because such an arrangement is 
often supposed to look hke a mountain, 
which has grass growing on its top and trees 
at its foot and in the valleys. 

A poem comes to mind here which is very 
dear to all lovers of Ike-bana: 

Musashi no ni 

Kusa makura shite 
Nagamure ha, Fuji yori takaki 

Tokonatsu no hanna. 

[179] 



VASE OF MANY SECTIONS 

"Upon Musashino prairie I lie with a 
pillow of grass, and I see a little wild pink, 
but — it looks higher than Fuji." 

In arranging flowers in a three-sectioned 
vase the idea is this: the flowers placed 
in the highest section should be plants which 
would grow on a mountain top; in the next 
section upland-growing plants, and in the 
lowest place, valley or water-growing plants, 
for the last section represents also sea or 
lake level. Thus plants of afl altitudes can 
be brought together in one vase. This order 
may be changed, but the three-sectioned 
vase was originated to carry out this idea. 
Trees are sometimes placed in the highest 
division, as trees do grow on mountain tops. 

In a vase of two divisions like the one 
iflustrated, only the lower opening is used. 
The upper place is very shaflow and when 
filled with water is left without flowers and 
is supposed to represent the reflected moon. 



[i8o 




Three Aspidistra Leaves 




Five Aspidistra Leaves 




t \ 



Seven Aspidistra Leaves 







Nine Aspidistra Leaves 




Showing bow Leaves must be tied in Groups over Nigbt 

Seven Aspidistra Leaves. Showing how desirable a 

torn leaj is considered 



CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

WHEN FLOWERS ALONE MAY BE 
USED AND WHEN LEAVES ONLY 

THE best form in flower arrangement 
is to have both flowers and leaves; 
but there are flowers which may be 
arranged alone. These are the flowers on 
which the leaves come first and go before 
the flower blooms. In Japan these are prin- 
cipaHy natsu suisen, or summer narcissus, 
and a red wild flower cafled shiba. Such 
flowers may be arranged without leaves. 

In the case of the trees and shrubs which 
come into blossom before they leaf, as our 
cherry, the prominent parts of the arrange- 
ment, Heaven and Man, should be blossoms, 
and the leaves put in only for Earth. If it 
is an arrangement where attributes are used, 
make them of the leaves and have the 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

three main principles of Heaven, Man, and 
Earth of the blossoms. 

When a plant or tree leafs out before blos- 
soming, then the leaves must predominate 
in an arrangement which should have only 
a few blossoms, and these placed in the 
unimportant places. 

For arrangements of leaves only, baran — 
or aspidistra as we call it — is much used. 
It can be had at all seasons and makes one 
of the most perfect arrangements, as the 
lines can be made so distinct with its long, 
slender leaves. They are also easily bent 
with the hand. 

You will see that in nearly all arrange- 
ments of aspidistra one leaf is curled up. 
This is supposed to contain an insect. One 
leaf that is wormeaten or torn is consid- 
ered desirable and thought to make the 
arrangement more natural, as there is seldom 
in nature a plant without one imperfect 
leaf. 

Working with aspidistra is excellent prac- 
tise for a beginner. Its leaves, being easily 

[192] 



FLOWERS ALONE MAY BE USED 

bent, do not require such patience to bring 
into the correct curves, and the stems are 
readily brought together at the base. In its 
arrangement also, faults are quickly recog- 
nized and easily corrected. Therefore I give 
many different examples of arrangements of 
aspidistra. 

It is arranged on the same principles as 
all other plants, but with it you 
will find that Heaven usually 
folds around its attribute. These 
two should be tied together, as 
shown in the cut below, and left 
tied over night. 

The curled leaf is made by 
putting the extreme point of the 
leaf around a small stem and 
rolling it up in the palms of 
your hands for a few minutes. 
Then let go of it; this will make a loose 
roIL Should you wish it very tight and 
small, roll as tight as possible, then pull 
the stick out and put a pin or two through 
to hold the curl in place. The pins may be 

[ 193 ] 




JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

left in over night and will in no way injure 
the leaf. 

Aspidistra is one of the few plants ar- 
ranged not entirely according to its natural 
growth, but the nature of its growth is 
improved upon — art here aiding nature. 




I 194] 



CHAPTER NINETEEN 
SEX IN FLOWERS AND TREES 

THE Japanese are fond of applying a 
distinction of sex to inanimate things. 
They distinguish between male and 
female rocks and stones, male and female 
waterfalls, etc., and this same distinction 
is carried out in flower arrangement. All 
flowers and grasses in general belong to the 
in — female sex — while the trees belong to 
the yo or male. These distinctions are also 
applied between different forms of flowers. 
The buds are female; fufly opened and 
perfect flowers are male; and the over- 
blown and withered again return to female. 
They even distinguish between the front 
and the back of leaves, though it is merely 
a contrast of color. The front of a leaf is 
male and the back female. If two leaves 
grow together, as shown in the cut, the 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

outside leaf is masculine and the inside is 
feminine. 

Leaves growing in the shade gain luster, 
while the sunny side becomes lusterless; 
then the side of the leaf in the shade with 




luster is in and the duller side yo. Flowers 
shaded by another flower or leaf are also in. 

This may seem merely a poetic fancy, but 
much common-sense is back of these appar- 
ently whimsical ideas, and one finds that 
the turning of the leaves to diff"erent sides 
gives as much freshness and variety as turn- 
ing the flowers in diff'erent directions. Apply- 
ing such distinctions gives expression and 
feehng and helps in producing the efl"ect of 
a growing plant. 

When a flower by its form, or a leaf by 

[196] 



SEX IN FLOWERS AND TREES 

the side presented, represents the mascu- 
line, it can be put in a more conspicuous 
place than a flower or leaf which is feminine 
— with the exception of buds, which, though 
feminine, must in most cases be placed in 
the top of the arrangement, as that is the 
natural way the plant grows. 

Follow the nature of your flower's growth, 
and if it buds at the top have a half- 
open flower for Heaven, with a tiny bud 
above it. This bud should be free from 
leaves, as a bud or flower behind a leaf is 
always in. 

The Man branch should almost always be 
made of the fufl-blown flower, unless the 
flowers are very large. In such cases, as the 
peony, always put the fuflest blown flower 
in the lowest or Earth position. The peony 
is so heavy that a long stem would droop 
into bad shape with a fufly opened flower, 
whereas the short stem of Earth wiH hold 
it in position. 

These rules are very flexible in applica- 
tion, and whenever you are uncertain, fol- 

[197] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

low the natural growth of the plant from 
which your flowers have been gathered. If 
the flowers have been given you and you 
are ignorant of their natural tendency, bear 
in mind that variety is one of your chief 
aims. If you have only three flowers, do 
not put the bud at the top, the half-open one 
for Man, and the full-blown for Earth; but 
if you start with a bud, mix up the flower 
forms in some way. As has been already 
explained, there are two styles in one or 
the other of which every arrangement of 
flowers must be made. These styles are 
also distinguished by the names of in and 
yo. The colors of flowers are given this 
same distinction. Purple, red, pink, and 
variegated colors are classified as masculine, 
whereas yeHow, white, and blue are feminine. 
This guides one in arranging flowers of 
diff"erent colors in the same vase, the mas- 
culine colors always taking the most impor- 
tant and highest position in the group. 
The one exception to this rule is white 
flowers. White flowers of every variety 
hold the highest rank. 

[198] 




[ 199 ] 



CHAPTER TWENTY 
JAPANESE FLOWER VASES 

ALTHOUGH the Japanese have not 
as large a flora as other countries, 
they have above all others a greater 
beauty and variety of flower receptacles. 
These are not only beautiful in form, mate- 
rial, and design, but are made for the use to 
which they are put; so that a flower can al- 
ways be placed in an appropriate receptacle, 
and probably in one especially designed for 
that particular sort of flower. 

Their love of the beautiful, however, does 
not cause them to overlook the practical in 
these vases, and they most seek in their shapes 
what will best prolong the life of flowers. 
For this reason their vases are wide open 
at the mouth, for they do not depend upon 
the vase itself, as we do, to hold flowers in 
position, having found that the oxygen enter- 

[200 ] 



.t''" 




Flower Basket oj Split Bamboo 



JAPANESE FLOWER VASES 

ing through the neck opening is as necessary 
to the plant as the oxygen it receives from 
the depths of the water; thus also the water 
remains sweet much longer than in our small- 
necked vases, where it so quickly becomes 
foul. 

Many are the odd and fanciful signifi- 
cances connected with these Japanese recep- 
tacles. For instance, the hanging vases so 
numerous and quaint in form came into use 
through the idea that flowers presented by 
an esteemed friend should not be placed 
where they could be looked down upon, so 
they were raised and hung. And in the 
hanging bamboo vases the large, round sur- 
face on top is supposed to represent the 
moon, and the hole for the nail a star. 
The cut, or opening, below the top is called 
Jukumuki the "wind drawing through place." 

The low, flat vases, more used in summer 
than winter, not only give variety in the 
form of receptacles, but, as with vines and 
hanging vases, make it possible to arrange 
plants of bulbous and water growth in nat- 

[203] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

ural positions. The standard vases are the 
most common, for in them all arrangements 
of flowers, except aquatics and creepers, are 
placed. They alone outnumber in beauty 
and variety all forms of our flower vases 
combined. 

Again, when we come to consider the color 
of the Japanese vases, we can only admire 
their never failing taste in the choice of 
the soft pastel shades. Could anything 
more clearly show their perfect taste than 
their preference for bronze? This to them 
seems most hke mother earth in color, and 
therefore best, as it is, to enhance the beauty 
of flowers instead of detracting from their 
exquisite shades. What a contrast to the 
glitter and show of our silver vases, which 
represent generafly little else but their cost. 

The bamboo, in its simplicity of line and 
neutral color, makes a vase always charm- 
ing but, alas! not practical in this country, 
where our steam heat at once causes it to 
spHt. But while vases made from sohd 
pieces of bamboo cannot be used in this 

[204] 



JAPANESE FLOWER VASES 

country, the beautiful baskets made in such 
variety of shape from bamboo reeds, with 
their color assuming the soft brown shades 
of mother earth, so perfect an offset for all 
the varied tints of the flowers, are entirely 
practical in any climate. 

Not to be overlooked is the tiny hanging 
vase found in the simple peasant home— 
some curious root picked up at no cost and 
fashioned into a shape suitable to hold a 
single flower or vine. Such vases could be 
made with little eff'ort by anyone and find 
place anywhere in our own land, had we 
only a keen enough desire to be always sur- 
rounded by the beautiful. 

After experience with Japanese vases we 
find ourselves much more critical in the 
selection of American or European ones and, 
beholding afl the delightful forms of Japa- 
nese vases depicted in their prints, we grow 
most regretful of the scarcity of their impor- 
tation into Europe or this country. 



[20s] 




[206] 



CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE 

PRESERVATIVES FOR FLOWERS AND 
TREES 

THE Japanese tell us that no matter 
how skilful one may be in flower 
arrangement, if one is ignorant of 
the secret of keeping the flowers fresh, his 
skill is of no avail. 

The masters of flower arrangement have 
many secret formulas for preservatives re- 
vealed only to their pupils on graduation and 
some never revealed except on their death- 
beds to their successors. The drugs for most 
of these would be impossible to obtain out- 
side of Japan, and none of them are reafly 
as important as the main Japanese rule that 
the flowers "must be so prepared before 
arranging as to enable them to suck up 
enough water to keep them in a fresh condi- 
tion for a long time." AH their vases are 

[ 207 ] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

made with this object in view. This is why 
they are wide mouthed and so different from 
ours of compressed necks; the only means 
we have of holding flowers in an upright 
position is by tightening our vases at the 
neck. 

The Japanese have found that having 
the opening completely filled by the stems 
makes the water become foul and also allows 
no oxygen to enter the stems at their ends. 
The placing of the flowers one by one through 
the support, keeping the ends of the stems 
always an inch or two above the bottom of 
the vase, aflows the flowers to suck up freely 
all the water they require, while the ends of 
our flowers are usuafly sealed by forcing the 
stems tightly against the bottom of the vase. 
The Japanese also remove ah foliage below 
the surface of the water. This is not only 
to show the stems uniting at the base to form 
the parent stalk, but because it adds greatly 
to the life of flowers so arranged, since there 
are no leaves in the water to cause decom- 
position, which is so injurious to plant life. 

[208] 



TREE AND FLOWER PRESERVATIVES 

The system of preserving plants and 
flowers according to the season of the year 
in which they are gathered is also very 
helpful in making them retain freshness 
for a long time. This method is divided 
into three periods known as Shin, Giyo, 
and So. Shin covers the summer months, 
June, July, and August; Giyo the autumn 
and spring months, September, October, 
November, and March, April, and May; So 
covers the winter months of December, 
January, and February. 

The season of Shin is a very hot period of 
the year; therefore it is necessary for all 
flowers and branches gathered during these 
months to be kept warm internally. The 
way to do this is to wrap the stems of the 
flowers or branches in matting or a husk 
of bamboo — tissue paper will do as well 
— leaving five or six inches uncovered at 
the ends when the flowers are long stemmed, 
and two or three inches when short. Tie the 
covering fast with string. Put into three 
pints of boiling water fifty-eight grains of 

[209] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

Sansho (see formula at end of the chap- 
ter). When this boils hard, plunge into it 
the uncovered ends of the flower stems and 
hold them in the boiling mixture until the 
ends whiten, being careful not to steam 
the wrapped portions. Then plunge in very- 
cold water, removing the wrappings in a 
place not too warm and sheltered from the 
wind. Straighten the stalks and keep thus 
for about seven hours before arranging. 

When the weather is exceptionally hot, 
this is the be^t way for preserving flowers, 
but when the weather is normal at this 
season, just to boil the ends of the stems 
until white, and then plunge them in very 
cold water, will have the same eff'ect. Drugs 
are required only in extreme heat. Flowers 
and foliage must always be carefufly pro- 
tected from the steam while being boiled, 
then the cold water into which they are then 
put should be in a deep receptacle. 

The season of Giyo covers the months when 
it is neither very hot nor very cold, and it is 
therefore comparatively easy to keep flowers 

[210] 



TREE AND FLOWER PRESERVATIVES 

fresh. But it is well to know how they 
may be longest preserved. Wrap as in 
summer and then roast the ends of the stems 
in a charcoal or coal fire in which twenty-nine 
grains of Sansho have been put — it can also 
be done in a gas or candle flame without 
Sansho — until black and charred, holding 
the stems in a wet cloth while burning; then 
put in cold water for seven or eight hours. 

In the So period — December, January, 
February, use very cold water to keep 
flowers in before arranging. Ice water, 
stream water, or that kept in a pail over 
night should be used. The Japanese say 
that well water is usuaHy warm in winter, 
and therefore should not be used unless kept 
standing out of doors for a long time. 
Flowers do not require burning during these 
cold months; all that is necessary is to let 
them stand in very cold water as long as 
possible before arranging. 

A camelia may be kept from turning brown 
by putting a few grains of salt in the center 
of each flower. To keep a magnolia, spht 

[2II] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

the end so (see cut) by cutting and apply 
some dry Sansho in the openings made; 
then put the branch in water for two or 
three hours. 

These simple and well-thought-out methods 
do more towards preserving cut flowers than 
the comphcated drug mixtures which are so 




secretly held back by the masters; or, I 
should say, were held, for the teachers today 
give more hberally of this knowledge. In 
ancient times the rules for preserving flowers 
were completely withheld from the pupils. 
A master would sometimes reveal one rule 
or secret at a time to an advanced pupil, 
but it was impossible for any student to find 
out aH the rules, unless in the case of the 
master's death, when to a favorite pupil 
[212] 



TREE AND FLOWER PRESERVATIVES 

would fall the honor of inheriting his name, 
his pupils, and his knowledge. To this for- 
tunate follower, who had been chosen in the 
master's lifetime and instructed with the 
idea of becoming his successor, all knowl- 
edge would be given, but generally only 
by word of mouth. 

Formula for Preserving Summer Plants 

Water i sho = i qt. i pt. 

Salt 3 zo = i| oz. 

Sake ^ sho = i^ pt. 

Mint 20 nomme = 58 grains 

Sansho " " = " " 

Mogusa " " = " " 

Mustard " " = " " 

Put all these together. Let boil for five 
minutes. When cold pour into stems. 



[213] 



CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO 

THE SCHOOLS OF JAPANESE 
FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

I. IkENOBU. 700 A.D. 

Ikenobu was commenced by Ono-no-Imoko 
about thirteen hundred years ago. This is 
the oldest and, to my thinking, one of the 
most beautiful of all the schools. 

The first Ikenobu was a pupil of Soami. 
Since then the teacher of this school is 
always a priest of the Rokkakudo Temple 
in Kyoto, where the lore has been handed 
down from generation to generation and is 
still being taught in exactly the same man- 
ner. The priest on whom the mantle of 
instruction falls is always called Ikenobu. 

I never enjoyed my lessons more than 
at the Rokkakudo Temple. There at the 
temple you arrange your flowers under 
the guidance of other priests, but when the 

[214] 



SCHOOLS FOR ARRANGEMENT 

compositions of the class are nearing com- 
pletion, Ikenobu himself appears, to give 
the final verdict on every arrangement. 
After much bowing and drawing in of the 
breath, the entire class follows him about, 
stopping with him before each arrangement, 
in order to profit by the criticisms on the 
work of every pupil in the class. If you 
prefer, an instructor will be sent from the 
temple to your own residence, but he, of 
course, will be an understudy and no one 
so important as Ikenobu himself. 

This school is a development of Rikkwa, 
and its branches include the schools of 

Higashiyama-Ryu Senki-Ryu 

Enshiu-Ryu Seizan-Ryu 

Misho-Ryu 

II. Shogetsudo Ko-Ryu. 

Originated by Myoye Shonin. 1171-1231. 

III. Ko-Ryu. 

Originated by Oun Hoshi or Matsune 
Ishiro. 1333-1402. 

IV. Higashiyama Jisho-in-Ryu. 

[2/5] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

Originated by Ashikaga Yoshimasa, 1436- 
1492, who was called Higashiyama Dono or 
Jishoin. Branches of this school are 

Senzan-Ryu Higashiyama-Ko-Sei-Ryu 

Higashiyama-Ryu Soami-Ryu 

V. Senke-Ko-Ryu. 

Originated by the famous Sen-no-Rikyu. 
1520. 

VI. Bisho-Ryu. 

Originated by Goto Daigakunokami or 
Bishokui Dokaku. 1545. 

VII. Enshiu-Ryu. 

Originated by Kobori-Enshu. 1 578-1 647. 
The branches of this school are numerous: 

NiHONBASHI EnSHIU ShIN EnSHIU 

Ango Enshiu Miyako Enshiu 

Seifu Enshiu Asakusa Enshiu 

and many others. 

VIII. Ko-Shin-Ryu. 

Originated by Shin-tetsu-sai, who was the 
teacher of Hidetada, second Shogun of the 
Tokugawa dynasty. 1600- 1624. 

[216] 



SCHOOLS FOR ARRANGEMENT 

IX. Sekishu-Ryu. 

Originated by Katagiri Iwaminokami Sada- 
masa. 1604- 1673. 

X. Jikei-Ryu. 

Originated by Shouken Jikei in the year 
1699. 

XI. Togen-Ryu. 

Commenced by Togensai Masayasu about 
1716. 

SOGENSAI MuRAKUMO-RyU 

Toko-Ryu Shikishima-Ryu 

Don IN- Ryu 

XII. Gengi-Ryu. 

Commenced by Chiba Ry5boku in the 
year 1772. 

XIII. Misho-Ryu. 

Originated by Mishosai Koho. 1804-1861. 

XIV. Sei-Ryu. 

Commenced by Doseiken Ittoku in 181 8. 

XV. Shoko-Ryu. 

Commenced by Hakusuisai in the year 
1896. 

[217] 



JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGEMENT 

There is much controversy among these 
different schools as to their relative antiq- 
uity, but the above dates are those most gen- 
erally accepted. For any inaccuracy of dates, 
due to the difficulties of translation from the 
Japanese chronology, I ask leniency. 




[218] 



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